homeward, with his head bent and his hands behind his back. In common, he
walked with his head up and his chin set forward, as though he did a little
look down on the world of other men; and this in truth he did, being at
least sis feet three inches in his stocking-feet, and with no lack of
proportion in waist or chest.

Next day I asked my mother of my guinea, but she laughed gaily, and threw
up her hands, and cried, "A bad debt! a bad debt, Hugh! Dost thou want more
interest? My father used to say they had a proverb in the Midi, 'If the
devil owe thee money it were best to lose it.' _Le diable!_ Oh, what am I
saying? _Mon fils_, forget thy debt. What did thy father say?" And I told
it again to her amusement; but she said at last, very seriously:

"It has disturbed thy father as never before did anything since he would
not join with Friend Bradford against the Stamp Act. I would I had seen him
then, or this time. I like sometimes to see a strong man in just anger. Oh,
_mon Dieu!_ what did I say! I am but half a Quaker, I fear." My mother
never would turn away from the creed of her people, but she did not
altogether fancy the ways of Friends.

"Eh, _mon fils_, sometimes I say naughty words. Give me a sweet little pat
on the cheek for my badness, and always come to me with all thy troubles."
Then I kissed her, and we went out to play hide-and-find in the orchard.

My father's grim, sarcastic humour left him as years went on, and he became
as entirely serious as I ever knew a man to be. I think on this occasion
his after-annoyance, which endured for days, was more because of having
threatened Dove than for any other cause. He no doubt regarded me as the
maker of the mischief which had tempted him for a moment to forget himself,
and for many a day his unjust severity proved that he did not readily